Hunger games

AS a top-class Premier League goalkeeper, one of the biggest dangers you face is slipping into a comfort zone.

Yet right now I fear that’s exactly where we find Joe Hart — and it’s starting to cost Manchester City dearly.

When Hart burst into the City side in 2010, he blasted Shay Given out of the way because he was just too good to leave out any longer.

But the fact is Joe knew he had to be at his very best in every training session, never mind the matches themselves, because there was such fierce competition for the place.

Shay was a top notch, proven Premier League keeper, and Joe realised that more than anyone.

So he had to be on top of his game every time he pulled on the gloves.

He managed it as well, to the point where he hasn’t missed a league game for City in more than three seasons now.

Yet after his latest clanger, which gifted Chelsea a late win on Sunday, the time has come for Manuel Pellegrini to pull him out of the firing line and finally hand Costel Pantilimon a run in the starting line-up.

I don’t just mean in the Capital One Cup tie at Newcastle tomorrow — we all expect the giant Romanian to get the nod for that one.

I’d stick with him for the Premier League game against Norwich at the Etihad on Saturday.

And, barring disasters, I would be playing him in the Champions League game against CSKA Moscow as well.

When Hart got into the mix-up with Matija Nastasic at Stamford Bridge and Fernando Torres scored, it was the perfect example of a player lacking concentration — and confidence.

But the days when we wrote off errors as “ah, he’s a young keeper, these things happen” have long gone.

A big factor in Hart’s problems has been knowing his place in the side is safe.

Even when Pantilimon has come in and played superbly, as he did in the FA Cup semi-final last season, everyone knew he would be back on the bench the next week.

Well I think the time has now come for big Costel to have his chance.

He must know himself that as a No 2 keeper, you only have a certain shelf life before you say “I’m off, I want to be playing regularly”.

The spotlight is now so bright on Hart that everything will be scrutinised closer than ever before.

And when you’re suffering from a lack of confidence, concentration and intensity, that’s a recipe for disaster.

But leaving him out of the side could actually be a move which sees him come back better than ever before.

That’s the way it tends to work with truly top-class players.

I remember when England were playing in Le Tournoi in France back in 1997 and Glenn Hoddle left Alan Shearer out against Italy.

I came in for the game and scored as we won 2-0.

How did Shearer react? By returning like a player on fire, because he was so determined to prove he was top dog — that’s what world-class players do.

It comes down to total pride in your performance, showing with every training session “I’m No 1 and I’m staying here”.

City’s goalkeeping coach Xabier Mancisidor will clearly be working hard with Joe this week to put things right.

But Hart could do a lot worse than pick up the phone to Peter Schmeichel or David Seaman to seek a few words of advice.

Both, co-incidentally, were former City keepers at the latter end of their careers.

They played behind defences so good they’d go for more than an hour with nothing to do, but would suddenly produce a world-class save.

That’s what made them such outstanding keepers.

When the time came they would still be on their toes and leave you thinking “how did they stop that?”

Having one of them in a couple of times a week would be a masterstroke.

A few sessions with men as respected as they both are could work wonders.

Joe has been a regular fixture for club and country but now really needs that support team around him to inspire him.

It’s not as though the Chelsea mistake was a one-off.

He’s been blamed for goals against Southampton, West Ham, Cardiff and Aston Villa, two against Bayern Munich and a slip-up for England in the friendly against Scotland.

His current form has also left Roy Hodgson with a dilemma and I’d seriously consider leaving him out for the upcoming friendlies with Chile and Germany.

Give John Ruddy or Fraser Forster a chance and if they do the business, then great.

Joe’s suddenly got big, big pressure to show he’s worthy of his place in the team at the World Cup.

And in my view that can only help England’s cause.

When your place in the side has been cemented like Hart’s has, suddenly finding yourself with a real challenge should be something you relish.

It is a turn of events which can take your game to new heights.

I have a lot of time for Joe, I really like him as a person and a player.

But he needs a break right now — something to help get his career moving in the correct direction again.

It could be the shock to the system which kicks him back to his best — and that will be a good thing for England.